Lee Jung-jae

Lee Jung-jae, (Korean: 이정재, born December 15, 1972), is a South Korean actor and model. He debuted as a fashion model, then began his acting career on television, notably in the campus series Feelings (1994) and the iconic drama Sandglass (1995). After his acting breakthrough in An Affair (1998), Lee's film career took off, and he has starred in a variety of film genres. In 2021, Lee gained widespread international attention for his portrayal of Seong Gi-Hun in Netflix's survival drama Squid Game.

Quotes

 * I do not separate the scripts and decide on doing either movies or drama series in a certain year. I always think of what I can do best and how I can entertain the public when I first receive the script.
 * "Lee Jung-jae says ‘Squid Game’ surprised him like it shocked the world" in The Korean Herald


 * I am not sure if I can work in Hollywood or overseas entertainment business with my insufficient English skills, so I cannot say anything for certain at this moment. But I hope to meet the international fans with the works that I am currently shooting.
 * "Lee Jung-jae says ‘Squid Game’ surprised him like it shocked the world" in The Korean Herald


 * I was in a phase where I was contemplating what my next project should be. Because as I got older, the roles I was offered were mostly villains or other such fierce characters.
 * "'Squid Game' star Lee Jung-jae on his international breakout role" in The Korea Times (30 September 2021)


 * One thing I did differently (from previous works) was that I would go for a walk a night before filming and observe the people on the streets in order to find elements to add to the character.
 * "'Squid Game' star Lee Jung-jae on his international breakout role" in The Korea Times (30 September 2021)


 * I didn't expect this kind of success at all when I first boarded Squid Game as a project. But when I read the script, I understood that it contained elements that could resonate with everyone and work outside of Korea.
 * "Squid Game 's Lee Jung-jae Reveals Hollywood's Surprising Reaction to His Performance" in Yahoo (11 October 2021)


 * I have seen some reactions on social media and on YouTube, and I have been trying to wrap my mind around them. I watched a lot of YouTube reaction videos, videos of the viewers themselves watching Squid Game in real time. I had never seen these so-called reaction videos before in my life. I find that very interesting and funny. So yes, I have kept an eye on how the global audience is reacting.
 * "Lee Jung-jae Thinks ‘Squid Game’ Critics Should Watch It Again" in The New York Times (18 October 2021)


 * I found the concept of Squid Game interesting from the beginning. Although it was a survival competition between adults, the games were actually played by little kids. Despite being a survival game genre, it carefully explained the sorrows and hardships of the people who participated in the game. I think this made the movie different from other works as it effectively revealed the stories of the characters one by one without exaggerating them.
 * "Lee Jung Jae answered an interview about Squid Game’s characters and why he dyed his hair red in the ending scene" in KBIZoom (29 September 2021)


 * A role with strong characters is easy if everything is set up in the beginning and you just need to push forward. However, with a role of a man in daily life, I paid a little more attention to make this man look natural.
 * "Lee Jung Jae answered an interview about Squid Game’s characters and why he dyed his hair red in the ending scene" in KBIZoom (29 September 2021)